Sunday, May 21, 2017

How I Met Your MUTHUR: “Alien: Covenant” is a Creepy, Contemplative Pre-sequel

It only took two
films, the hotly debated and divisive “Prometheus” (I loved it)
and what the Golden Globes called the Best Comedy of the Year “TheMartian,” for Ridley Scott to get back into his sci-fi thriller
Xenomorph groove. When “Alien” was released in 1979 it set a new
standard for horror and science fiction. So many films have
understandably copied its success. The series petered out eventually,
entering “Jaws the Revenge” levels of mediocrity. Ridley Scott's
“Prometheus” was a return to sci-fi form and a nod to his
original filmmaking roots. Some people hated it. Some people loved
it. But the best movies are always the ones that are endlessly
debated. Enter “Alien: Covenant” a sequel to “Prometheus”
that also works as a prequel to “Alien” and helps flesh out the
things that seemed to frustrate people the most about the film that
came before it. It's a taught, well-made thriller. The film doesn't
break the mold and doesn't offer the same shocking moments of its
predecessors but it further explores the fascinating themes of
creationism and artificial intelligence.

The best sci-fi
films always offer a little bit more than cool effects and action.
Ridley Scott is a pioneer in the genre but too far too long of a
break. “Prometheus” and “The Martian” proved he could be
successful in the genre again and “Covenant” is no exception.
Taking place several years after the events of “Prometheus” the
film follows a small crew of a ship carrying thousands of people, and
embryos, sent to colonize a new planet. After the ship is damaged and
the crew is forced to wake up from cryosleep early, they discover a
signal from a nearby habitable planet, still years away from their
destination, they decide to check it out in hopes it could be their
new home. But it's never that easy is it? Aboard the ship is Daniels
(Katherine Waterston) the wife of the ship's captain, Oram (Billy
Crudup) the first mate, pilot Tennessee (Danny McBride), head of
security Lope (Demián Bichir), and a handful of others. Every crew
member is with their significant other. Also aboard is a familiar
face: a synthetic human named Walter who looks exactly like David
from “Prometheus.” He's also played by Michael Fassbender in
another standout performance. He's an updated model and the film
delves extremely deep into these fascinating android characters. To
say much more about the plot or whether familiar characters show up
is to ruin the fun.

But let's get to the
good stuff. One is going to see “Alien: Covenant” for two main
reasons, you just really want your “Prometheus” questions
answered and you want to see another awesome “Alien” movie.
Rejoice because you get both. Screenwriters John Logan and Dante
Harper make the most sense out of what “Prometheus” started and
have a great script that is heavy on the philosophy but doesn't skimp
on the action and suspense. And Scott taking a cue from himself,
takes his time here. Anyone waiting to see a Xenomorph onscreen in
the first 15 minutes will be sorely disappointed. But the money shots
come and they're worth the wait. There is lots of slimy, slithery
creature stuff here that I can't give away. I'd say none of it comes
close to being as squirm inducing as the “abortion scene” from
“Prometheus” or shocking power of the “chestburster scene”
from the original “Alien” but there's plenty of good stuff. The
computer effects are really well done. The days of practical effects
are unfortunately long gone, but what we're given are completely
convincing.

“Alien: Covenant”
is also a solid achievement as well. Dariusz Wolski's moody and stark
cinematography is gorgeous and Jed Kurzel's otherworldly music filled
with cues from Jerry Goldsmith's original score is fantastic.
Overall, “Covenant” is a resounding success. Waterston is a fine “Ripley stand-in” and is easy to care about, Fassbender gives another fascinating performance, and Ridley finds a great balance of “Prometheus stuff”
and “Alien stuff” and bends these worlds together nicely. I would
argue that the Alien-inspired “Life” was a much more
squirm-inducing experience but “Alien: Covenant” is perfectly
fine entertainment considering it's the 8th installment in
a franchise that burst onto the scene nearly forty years ago. GRADE: B+

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About Me

"Hello, Clarice." Welcome to my film review blog. I've been reviewing theatrical movies since 2005. In addition to writing movie reviews (not to mention best of year lists, Oscar predictions, and other fun movie-related lists) I have had reviews and articles published on DarkHorizons.com and at WhatCulture.com. I've also achieved my longtime dream of appearing on RottenTomatoes.com. My favorite film genre is horror though I have rather eclectic cinematic tastes. I can easily go from watching artsy stuff like Under the Skin to stupid action stuff like Transformers (but please dear lord make them stop). I also enjoy running, cooking, and eating the spiciest foods I can find.